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New Report Shows Getting a Job With a Livable Wage Is Hard

Although the unemployment rate remains at 5%, a high number of people are still having a hard time finding a job paying livable wages as presented in a new study.

The Alliance for a Just Society’s 64-page report, entitled “Patchwork of Paychecks: A Shortage of Full-Time Living Wage Jobs Leaves Workers Scrambling to Make Ends Meet” by Allyson Fredericksen, examines the economic recovery in terms of available full-time jobs and livable wages.

Is A Lot of Jobs Available? Patchwork of Paychecks Research Says No

How many times have you heard there are plenty jobs available? Or it isn’t hard to find a job?

Many people believe this, but the AJS’s research, which uses 2014 economic data, shows otherwise. Though many persons are searching for jobs, they’re not easy to find.

Why? Because there’s a shortage of job openings.

“Nationwide, there are more than 17 million job seekers, including both the unemployed and those who are looking for a different or better job. However, there are only 5 million job openings total, paying any wage. Of these, only 2.7 million openings pay at least $15 per hour.”

New Report Shows Getting a Job With a Livable Wage Is Hard. FancyCrave Original Photo Courtesy of Kimson Doan. Edited by Me.

So, you can see: not only are jobs hard to find but hourly, livable wages in the labor force are also hard to find.

This is a problem for Americans because AJS’s researchers believe workers need at least “14.26” per hour (wages per hour vary by state) to provide their basic needs without the help of public assistance. While some industries have seen growth, they don’t pay enough for professionals to fully support themselves.

In the U.S., the fastest growing industries are: retail salespersons, food preparation and serving workers (fast food included), cashiers, waiters and waitresses, and registered nurses, according to the report. And, four of the five pay less than $15 per hour.

Because of low-paying (and possibly part-time) jobs, some people take on more than one job to survive. Living paycheck to paycheck – when they get jobs.

As if this isn’t enough, Fredericksen also presents a disparity issue with jobs. Women and people of color have higher chances of not securing full-time employment.

“Women were much more likely to report working part-time than men. For Latinas and women of color, this disparity also held true, though all Latinos and men of color were also more likely to work part-time than were workers overall.”

One other significant finding in the Patchwork of Paychecks research:

“Across the country, six out of seven job seekers will be unable to find a job that pays at least $15 per hour, and almost 13 million will be unable to find any job.”

For emphasis, the number of job seekers who won’t be able to find a job is 13 million.

This finding alone proves: unemployment is not the fault of every person seeking employment. Instead, a job shrinkage crisis is going on.

If you’re interested in reading more, then you can check out the link below:

Disclaimer: This article contains outgoing links to the work of others on the following websites: the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Alliance for a Just Society.